Why a new mech and shifter? Have they changed the pull ratio? If so, stuff Cues, I might as well buy kit from one of the ‘normal’ group sets that are cheap at the moment.

Is the Laufey also frame only? I have lots of bits that would fit!

For the first time ever I found it really hard to change gear on this week’s ride because of thumb pain. It’s been getting worse for a few months but hasn’t actually interfered with riding until now. At my advanced age I can’t see it getting any better so I will be looking at Gripshift! Luckily it doesn’t have the same effect on the road bike as you don’t need a thumb quite as much as with my shifters 

At 74 you would have thought I might have developed some common sense about bike purchases , but no. In the last five years I have bought three new bikes and of course have had to buy new bits to improve them. My argument is that I don’t have long left so I might as well enjoy my money as leave it to kids  or pay for care.

I think that’s probably the safest option. Might look a bit weird but comfort comes first!

Wife’s birthday, will have to be duty to indulge her every whim. This is far worse than having a cold because I feel physically fine but my mental health would suffer if I went out for a ride!

Two sets of each on road and MTB and I can’t tell any difference. Possibly CL a gnats lighter

I can’t stop buying stuff but even worse I can’t get rid of stuff. I have at least three sets of q/r forks that I haven’t got a bike for not too mention loads of half worn out bits that might come in handy one day. Note To Self — they never do.

I was told by a random that  I wasn’t a proper cyclist because I didn’t have a bell. I was able to point out he wasn’t a proper dog owner because his dog was off the lead on a mixed use path.

I have had the Decathlon trousers above for a few winters and they are excellent for real cold. I even wear them on the road bike when the temperature drops. Not particularly waterproof though 

The Alpkit ones are more like long shorts. I’m only about 5’10 and they barely make it to just below my knee not to mid calf as you might expect 

A plea for the canoe-footed, any big socks around? I find even the ones that give an XL size are tight and wear through at the toe very quickly.

I had Evil Eye with the insert but I found they steamed up far more than just using as sunglasses. I imagine this would apply to any inserts as the vents are designed to put air across the sunglass lens not the insert

Cancel that! I have just seen Kids Racing still stock them but not in every size

Who stocks them now? I posted above about using a Barzo because I couldn’t get a Wolfpack but I was able to get a front from Kids Racing and ditch the Barzo. However the back is wearing out and I would like another. They have been excellent tyres and Ild like to carry on with them 

Barzos seem popular on here but I took mine off the front of my HT because it lacked grip and therefore steering

2nd the Pathfinder. Has lots of mounting points as well. Alpkit do seem to have them intermittently though. I contacted them when I was looking and was able to order from the next batch. Just looked at the link, that’s a lot more than I paid?

I have the element in each shoe type , I think made by Husquarna. I bought them because I assumed Swedes would know all about keeping footwear dry. They are however fairly rubbish and take days to dry. I have gone back to sticking shoes on the CH boiler which in winter works really well 

Ouch , that is a significant increase. I’m glad I bought an Smax before they stopped production . It’s all very well saying making frames in Czechia cut carbon miles in transport but I suspect more people will be looking at price rather than green credentials 

Mrs FOG spends most of her life on the sofa, the rest in bed. She only gets up to go to  the toilet. She does have some health problems but doesn’t even do what she is capable of. The only time she gets motivated is when I want to go out on my bike when she suddenly remembers a job that just had to be done that moment

I have one of the Xs knipex after a similar incident but with the lock nut on an inner tube. My hands are rather arthritic and I have difficulty in exerting much force so the little knipexes are a godsend 

It was the unclipping that irritated me about the Osprey.. every time you moved it seemed to unclip and then attach itself to the steel fra me. This would then lead to groping about for the bite valve. Back to bottles for me

Second the Tifosi but an honourable mention for the Decathlon ones. They make various styles and are good value 

Like many others here, I too am a bit shit on the bike. For various reasons I have not ridden proper off road for ages but managed to get out on my MTB today and had to face the fact I have got even shitter! However I still really enjoyed the ride and won’t let my ineptness put me off getting out as often as I can. I may have to be less ambitious in my route choice but all time on the bike is a plus especially at my age when waking up at all is a plus

Yep new motor time. When mine died my local Shimano Service Centre contacted Madison and I got an ‘assisted purchase ‘ which meant I got a new motor considerably cheaper than list. I can’t understand why some hacker hasn’t cracked Shimano’s systems. If you can hack major banks surely you can hack an ebike control! Probably not enough money in it.

If you have big hands the Briskers are out. I couldn’t even get my fingers past the cuffs on the XXLs. I do have a pair of RAB infiniums which fit well in XL and are just right for an intermediate glove

A friend knows the poor sod in the above accident. Apparently he was just cycling normally when the car came across his side of the road and took him out. No other vehicles around. So it’s not just bikes that choose to use the wrong side of the road 

I have 29 and 27.5 HTs and to be honest I can barely tell the difference. The 29er is a bit better on road/gravel type going but it’s all a bit marginal.

No. Bikes for me are a means to an end. I have had bikes I really like and ones I didn’t but I have never felt the level of attachment people on here seem to feel

I have the Decathlon one mentioned above. It is very easy to use and makes a breeze of changing wheels . In the past fiddling with the chain whip put me off having two sets of wheels for a bike. Now changing cassette and wheel really is a five minute job 

Enjoyed seeing the bits I know as well as the ones I don’t. Great to see their enthusiasm. Only downside for me was that Katie bears a fairly close resemblance to my ex-wife!

Clearly not, then! I think I will just stick to the various Castelli sales that seem to be on at the moment.

I rode flats for years but as I am now very old and don’t do any death defying trails, I have gone back to SPDs for more XC/ Gravelly stuff. One of my three bikes still has flats though. Oh, and actually, one bike has no pedals at all because the old ones are shot and I haven’t got around to replacing them

Am I the only person who doesn’t find Galfer pads amazing? I have tried them in two different brakes and while I certainly can’t say they’re bad, they aren’t any better than some other, cheaper brands

I bought Galfer green for SRAM and Shimano 4 pot brakes in search of quiet after a recommendation on here . They both still squeal and don’t even wear well despite me not being a speedy rider. Back to £5 specials off eBay

JRA do excellent alloy wheelsets at around your budget. I went for 25mm width for a general XCish hardtail but they do wider rims. Mine have lasted three years so far without any problems

I have had steel, ally and carbon MTB and road bikes. The only one I could tell any difference with was a particular ally road bike that was so harsh it rattled your fillings. The only other difference was the carbon ones were lighter and easier to pedal uphill otherwise it’s down to what individual manufacturers do with their materials

My only moan is that mine chewed up the freehub splines more than the SRAM it replaced. Mind you it was a Hunt freehub so not that durable.

No, it’s the ones who choose to go to the opposite side to their dog, attached to lead of course.

I am much impressed by recent posts asking for suggestions for bikes for mums and dads. Even though I am an old bloke I am still handing over bikes to my sons , both in their 40s. Most recently a carbon road bike to the oldest who only wants it to go to work on.

When are they going to buy me one? I have obviously been too generous!